Among the latest crop of Hidden Spirits releases released locally to me was a 14yo Caol Ila single cask, bottled at a nice 53.7% ABV in 2022. This was priced very fairly for my local market as a slightly older-than-usual Islay IB single cask, so I thought to take a punt on it.

Tasting Note

Nose: smoked Amalfi lemon, so intensely fresh, sweet and zesty, then earthier, sugary, gummy and herbal notes of specifically honey lemon-flavoured Hudson's eucalyptus-menthol jujubes, a dusting of sea salt, iodine, mirin, and after about 20 mins of air, date pudding betrays that this is likely ex-sherry and probably a refill from the colour.

Palate: Eucalyptus, something vaguely floral and tart like magnolias and elderflower, lemon jam, BBQ sauce, hint of stewed apple, alcohol is very well integrated.

Finish: long, subdued, whettingly tart: iodine, grilled watermelon drizzled in BBQ sauce, salted preserved plums, hibiscus, retronasal gives me a minerality that reminds me of soda water.

We can see how age begins to round off and integrate the smoke in this Caol Ila compared to younger, brasher expressions, while packing a decent punch still. This integration of smoke also reveals a deeper, more complex take on the Caol Ila profile, with a particularly mesmerising smoked Amalfi lemon note - pith, flesh and all - as opposed to the brash smokiness and puckering edge of grilled lemons we see in younger Caol Ilas like Port Askaig 100 Proof. Also notable was the herbality, while the saline notes were toned way down. The clean green herbality reminded me a tad of Kilchoman but not the citrus. The cloyingly sweet BBQ sauce note I get in almost all peated Islays is also thankfully dialled down significantly. For the balance, power and decent complexity I score this an 87. A little stronger florals and apples to offset the zestiness would have pushed this to the 90+ range for me I reckon.

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Hidden Spirits only released 113 bottles of this. Run, not walk, to get it if it's available around you. Early Whiskybase reviews peg it at a pretty high 89, and I see every reason why. This is coming from someone who intellectually appreciates peat much more than viscerally enjoying it.

Before that I had a Glen Ord 13yo single cask bottled exclusively for the Singapore market by Hidden Spirits' local distributor Friends With Drams at 50.2% ABV cask strength. This, believe it or not, edged out the Caol Ila to my tastes:

Tasting Note

Nose: Tobacco leaves, dried persimmon, a deep rich wood varnish.

Palate: Earthy, comforting 70s-style resin - if pressed to describe it I would say, castile soap, shea butter, beeswax and nectar all at once, then candied yuzu peel, limes, pear drops, and near the end we get some blackberries and grapes.

Finish: Moderate length, honey yuzu cordial, then a hint of blackberries again.

I know the notes seem a lot more succinct than the Caol Ila, but each note is delineated so clearly and deeply, and this is coupled to that ineffably complex resinous flavour of the best 70s Highland expressions that I can hint at but not quite capture, the result of some fortunate combination of organic compounds. Then there are the persimmon and yuzu notes balanced against the sweet, light berry notes (none of the more robust flavours like blueberries, blackcurrants or juniper berries). I really like this. I have to give this a 90. And it gives me hope that modern whisky can retain the best traits of the vintage stuff I have tried.

H.Y.